Kremlin: No accusations against Russia in Manafort indictment

Russia on Tuesday reportedly stressed that the indictment handed down in the special counsel’s investigation did not include accusations against Russia for meddling in the U.S. presidential election.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said during a call with journalists that Russia has consistently maintained it did not interfere in the election, Reuters reported.

“Russia does not feature in the charges that were leveled in any way. Other countries and other people feature [in the charges],” Peskov said, according to the news service.

“Moscow never felt itself guilty so as to feel exonerated now,” he added.

{mosads}Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, on Monday pleaded not guilty to the nine charges against him included in a 12-count indictment. A former business associate of Manafort’s, Richard Gates, also pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces.

Charges against Manafort include money laundering, tax fraud and conspiracy against the United States.

The indictment comes amid a months-long ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russia’s attempts to interfere in the presidential election and any potential ties between Trump campaign staff members and the Kremlin.